This invention relates generally to wiping and specifically to wiping of rear view mirrors of vehicles such as trucks, busses, and similar vehicles.
The use of wipers on the rear view mirrors of large commercial vehicles is a potential trend in the industry. Because of their length, it is especially important that trucks and busses have an excellent view of what is beside them. Unfortunately, heavy rainfall can obscure the view in a standard rear view mirror. Even a heated mirror does not help in heavy rainfall. If a dangerous circumstance suddenly presents itself in a vehicle's path, the driver might not be able to tell whether it is safe to change lanes left or right to avoid the danger. Therefore, having clean mirrors can prevent accidents and save lives.
Many patents have issued on various inventions related to wiping of rear view mirrors. Yet it is still a rare sight to see a vehicle equipped with any of these inventions. In the absence of regulations mandating wipers on the external rear view mirrors of large commercial vehicles, the popularoty and commercial success of such wipers can be expected to be highly price sensitive.
Mirror wipers that are easily stolen as well as expensive present additional financial risk to the potential buyer. Some mirror wipers mount in a way that makes them hard to remove without removing the mirror too. If the wiper is stolen the mirror will probably be stolen with it. Such a mounting arrangement risks not only the cost of both these items but also the ability to continue driving safely and legally. Current regulations require that a truck must have all equipment on and working. A driver operating a truck or other commercial vehicle with a missing rear view mirror is risking an accident. He or she is subject to receiving a citation, stiff fine, and possibly additional consequences from his or her employer. Therefore, the driver must replace the stolen mirror before operating the vehicle.
Many drivers do not own the large vehicles they operate. Even if they want to have mirror wipers for their own safety, they are deterred because they would have to purchase them for mounting on someone else's vehicle. This is especially true where drivers regularly move from vehicle to vehicle.